Entrepreneurs are simply businesspeople. Some people may think that it`s really easy to become an entrepreneur, but they are very wrong. You see, there`s more to just being called an entrepreneur. In fact, many studies are conducted by some experts to uncover the traits possessed by successful entrepreneurs.
What makes a successful entrepreneur? There are many factors that make up the qualities of an entrepreneur like education, skills, and many others. There is, however, one thing that you shouldn`t disregard if you want to become a victorious entrepreneur. Your mindset plays the most important role for businesspeople.
Without the right mindset, you will definitely find it hard to succeed in whichever business endeavor you choose to take. To be one of the successful entrepreneurs, you must have the qualities needed to become one. You must be passionate about your goals, know how to organize, be persistent and stay focused on what you want.
Entrepreneurs are often identified by their perspectives on life. According to many experts who studied various entrepreneurs, if you can think like an entrepreneur, you have a high chance of succeeding in any form of business.
Successful entrepreneurs are positive thinkers. They always think and believe that they can do everything. Confidence is one trait that an entrepreneur needs. You must have this trait as early as possible but don`t worry if you`re not that confident yet because you can still develop this before you get involved in any business.
You must also be able to set your vision forward and look at certain situations differently. For ordinary individuals, problems are considered obstacles but for many entrepreneurs, these are challenges to be overcome. Aside from being a positive thinker, you must have strong belief in your objectives. If you`re confident enough, you can think optimistically at all times and you can set achievable objectives.
The business process is full of risks and if you don`t have the qualities of an entrepreneur, you will easily give up due to problems and obstacles. Being a risk taker is a very good trait of an entrepreneur. They are not afraid to think outside of the box or to move outside of their comfort zones. To succeed in any business undertaking, one must not be afraid to take these risks.
However, you don`t take risks blindly; you must be able to calculate them through education. By properly educating yourself about the risks, you can determine if the risks are worth taking or not. If you think that by taking the risk you will gain more for the business, don`t be afraid to accept it. Remember, if you don`t move yourself forward, your business will not go anywhere.
Nothing is achieved by thinking alone. If you simply think and think, you will not accomplish anything. But if you think and act once you are inspired, you will certainly reach the peak of success. Inspired action is truly needed to make your thoughts a reality. You must be able to come up with well-intentioned objectives and stay focused on what you want.
Now you know that the mindset of the individual is very important in order to become one of the victorious entrepreneurs. If you think that you don`t possess the proper mindset, you must learn to develop it as soon as possible especially if you want to handle a business in the future. Read "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne. This is an ideal book to effectively change your mindset about your life and making your dreams come true.
By exerting some effort to develop your mindset, you can succeed. Being an entrepreneur is not that hard especially if you possess the right qualities, skills, and most importantly, the proper mindset.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Thursday, February 17, 2011
13 Resume Mistakes That Can Cost You The Interview
1. A GENERAL OBJECTIVE: If your career objective could be applied to a management position as easily as a resume in the finance industry, then your objective isn't specific enough and will not allow you to differentiate yourself. A career objective an actual and real description of your skills as they're related to who you are and what you want. It varies with the kind of job that you are pursuing.
2. VAGUE JOB DETAILS: "Responsibilities included overseeing construction of 4 Hilton Hotels in Tri-City Metro Area, each 50 floors in height." This does not say enough. State whether or not you went up on schedule or if you brought the projects in under budget. Indicate how many of the four sites wet from site work up or not and if you were promoted to overseeing all four sites. Differentiate yourself from the others who are coming to interview. Tell the hiring company how you will be an asset to them, so they will know.
3. WHO'S THE MYSTERY COMPANY?: Assume that the name and purpose of your company is not common knowledge. It could be a competitor, it could be in the same industry and located nearby. To be on the safe side, provide a sentence or two about the focus of your company's products or services.
4. ANOTHER JOB, ANOTHER PARAGRAPH: Instead of adding on to your resume job after job, year after year, weed out some of the earlier stuff. For example, you don't need the college activities, just put your degree. Only use 1-3 bullets for each of your jobs.
5. REFERENCES: "References available on request" is the proper phrase to put on the bottom of your resume. Once they have been requested, then you present them separately. This is good protocol and it protects your references so they aren't called until you and the company are moving forward in the interview process.
6. DON'T TELL A STORY!: Write your resume in the first person!
7. SKIP THE PERSONAL INFO: Only share personal information if it is appropriate and initiated by the interviewer. Focus on the job interview and your qualifications.
8. DEGREE DATE: Always indicate the date of when you graduated on your resume. Otherwise, it will look like you're hiding something, and then they may count the years backwards and try to discover how old you are. You may be ruled out just for leaving the date off. If you're trying to hide your age by not stating the date, the perception is what else might you be hiding?
9. SPELL CHECK, SPELL CHECK, SPELL CHECK: Do a spell check visually AND by someone else. Spell check at least 3 times. And, remember to check your punctuation.
10. GETTING YOUR RESUME OUT THERE - part one: Finding your perfect job takes focus, attention, detail, individuality, tailoring specifics. Therefore, avoid resume blasting, because it is about as far from that as you can get.
11. GETTING YOUR RESUME OUT THERE - part two: If possible, avoid emailing your resume. If it's an ad, you probably have instructions as to how to send it. If it says email, then do it in a Word document or other accessible softward and attach it. You never know what it can look like on the other end because of the variety of settings available to each user. Quite frankly, you're better off not emailing it at all, because it usually just goes into cyber space, and then it's all about the hiring company, however, that may be your only choice. Emailing your resume takes any option for further participation right out of your hands, because often there's not even a name given for a follow up contact. You've no other option but to wait and wonder. Normally it will go to HR or an admin. department to be scanned into an electronic database.)
12. GETTING YOUR RESUME OUT THERE - part three: If you know the company, call and ask if they prefer email, fax, or snail mail. Candidates contacted for a specific search were requested to snail mail their resume to him. How about that? I'll bet less than 10% of those who emailed their resumes even bothered to follow up to see if it was received (this isn't a numbers game).
13. RESUME VISUALS: Ivory paper. Black ink. Individual pages. Instead of using plastic, 7th grade, science report cover with the plastic slider or metal push down tabs, center your name at the top, not on a cover page that says "Introducing Clifton Lewis Montgomery III". No exceptions. Remember that your resume is a professional document, not a school book report or an art project. Until every resume is done this way, yours will still stand out in the crowd.
You are the product, and your resume is the marketing piece. To find your perfect job you must differentiate yourself from the other candidates who will be interviewed.
Your resume must be specific, individualized, easy to spot so it invites a closer reading, and focused on the differences you've made with your previous companies, as well as the accomplishments you've achieved with - and for - them. This tells the hiring company what you can do for them. Keep in mind that it IS about the hiring company, not you.
Of course, be sure that you meet the requirements for the job - otherwise, it doesn't matter how good your resume is! The resume is what gets you in the door. If your resume is poorly written, looks sloppy, is difficult to read, is cryptic in any way, or necessitates being slogged through to learn your information (they won't bother), you won't even get in the door. And, how can you decide whether you like the company, if the company has already decided that they don't like you?
2. VAGUE JOB DETAILS: "Responsibilities included overseeing construction of 4 Hilton Hotels in Tri-City Metro Area, each 50 floors in height." This does not say enough. State whether or not you went up on schedule or if you brought the projects in under budget. Indicate how many of the four sites wet from site work up or not and if you were promoted to overseeing all four sites. Differentiate yourself from the others who are coming to interview. Tell the hiring company how you will be an asset to them, so they will know.
3. WHO'S THE MYSTERY COMPANY?: Assume that the name and purpose of your company is not common knowledge. It could be a competitor, it could be in the same industry and located nearby. To be on the safe side, provide a sentence or two about the focus of your company's products or services.
4. ANOTHER JOB, ANOTHER PARAGRAPH: Instead of adding on to your resume job after job, year after year, weed out some of the earlier stuff. For example, you don't need the college activities, just put your degree. Only use 1-3 bullets for each of your jobs.
5. REFERENCES: "References available on request" is the proper phrase to put on the bottom of your resume. Once they have been requested, then you present them separately. This is good protocol and it protects your references so they aren't called until you and the company are moving forward in the interview process.
6. DON'T TELL A STORY!: Write your resume in the first person!
7. SKIP THE PERSONAL INFO: Only share personal information if it is appropriate and initiated by the interviewer. Focus on the job interview and your qualifications.
8. DEGREE DATE: Always indicate the date of when you graduated on your resume. Otherwise, it will look like you're hiding something, and then they may count the years backwards and try to discover how old you are. You may be ruled out just for leaving the date off. If you're trying to hide your age by not stating the date, the perception is what else might you be hiding?
9. SPELL CHECK, SPELL CHECK, SPELL CHECK: Do a spell check visually AND by someone else. Spell check at least 3 times. And, remember to check your punctuation.
10. GETTING YOUR RESUME OUT THERE - part one: Finding your perfect job takes focus, attention, detail, individuality, tailoring specifics. Therefore, avoid resume blasting, because it is about as far from that as you can get.
11. GETTING YOUR RESUME OUT THERE - part two: If possible, avoid emailing your resume. If it's an ad, you probably have instructions as to how to send it. If it says email, then do it in a Word document or other accessible softward and attach it. You never know what it can look like on the other end because of the variety of settings available to each user. Quite frankly, you're better off not emailing it at all, because it usually just goes into cyber space, and then it's all about the hiring company, however, that may be your only choice. Emailing your resume takes any option for further participation right out of your hands, because often there's not even a name given for a follow up contact. You've no other option but to wait and wonder. Normally it will go to HR or an admin. department to be scanned into an electronic database.)
12. GETTING YOUR RESUME OUT THERE - part three: If you know the company, call and ask if they prefer email, fax, or snail mail. Candidates contacted for a specific search were requested to snail mail their resume to him. How about that? I'll bet less than 10% of those who emailed their resumes even bothered to follow up to see if it was received (this isn't a numbers game).
13. RESUME VISUALS: Ivory paper. Black ink. Individual pages. Instead of using plastic, 7th grade, science report cover with the plastic slider or metal push down tabs, center your name at the top, not on a cover page that says "Introducing Clifton Lewis Montgomery III". No exceptions. Remember that your resume is a professional document, not a school book report or an art project. Until every resume is done this way, yours will still stand out in the crowd.
You are the product, and your resume is the marketing piece. To find your perfect job you must differentiate yourself from the other candidates who will be interviewed.
Your resume must be specific, individualized, easy to spot so it invites a closer reading, and focused on the differences you've made with your previous companies, as well as the accomplishments you've achieved with - and for - them. This tells the hiring company what you can do for them. Keep in mind that it IS about the hiring company, not you.
Of course, be sure that you meet the requirements for the job - otherwise, it doesn't matter how good your resume is! The resume is what gets you in the door. If your resume is poorly written, looks sloppy, is difficult to read, is cryptic in any way, or necessitates being slogged through to learn your information (they won't bother), you won't even get in the door. And, how can you decide whether you like the company, if the company has already decided that they don't like you?
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Conflict Management In the Workplace
Everyone has those days when someone will say or do something that will provoke them to anger in the workplace. How do you handle such situations in a professional manner?
DO'S:
"What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures."
DO'S:
- Make sure to discuss the situation one-on-one with the person you are in conflict with.
- If possible, set a time and place outside of the normal work environment to try and resolve the issue, such as lunchtime. Having a meal together will normally relieve some of the tension and stress between you.
- Focus on the facts of the conflict versus the emotions of the story. Your emotions are subjective and can cloud your judgment.
- Give the other personal ample time to discuss their point of view without interruption.
- Be aware of your feelings, but do not act on them.
- Seek counsel with a mentor or your EAP on how to best resolve the situation if you cannot resolve the issue on your own.
- Try to resolve the situation between the two of you before escalating the conflict to your boss or the Human Resources Department.
- Agree to disagree and respect the other person's perspective.
- Gossip about the situation with a fellow co-worker, because it may get back to them.
- Use profanity or other derogatory language.
- Make rash decisions while you are emotional.
- Argue your case in front of other co-workers.
- Hold a grudge because it will only make you miserable and bitter.
"What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures."
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Corporate Culture
Understanding your company's corporate culture is the first place to start to create a successful career. Your company is looking for people who will enhance versus detract from its mission and goals. So, if your company has a conservative culture, be sure that your dress and mannerisms reflect this before, during and after the interview process. For example, if your company has an "unspoken" dress code that is suit and tie or a dress with a jacket, be sure that your dress is the same as those already employed by the company. In fact, always dress like management. This will enable you to easily fit into your company's culture and help others to feel comfortable with you. Also, be mindful that even after working hours, your behavior should still reflect a positive image of your company. You never know who is watching you or who may see you in public places such as restaurants, night clubs, social events, church, neighborhoods or charitable organizations. Just because you are not at work, does not mean that your behavior has no consequences in the workplace. Keep in mind that we work with human beings who are impacted by the positive or negative perceptions we create for ourselves. For more information read my book titled, "Beyond the Boardroom: Learn how to play and win at the game of corporate politics". This informative, easy read will give you a heads up on how to manage your career successfully.
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